Family Train Tickets: Ways to Save on Days Out in Britain

Taking the family out by rail opens a whole new world for kids to explore, experience and enjoy. Sit back, relax, and let the train take the strain.

Rail travel in Britain can be expensive, but I’ve found ways to get cheaper family train tickets for days out in 2022.

Cheap Family Train Tickets in Britain: Quick Links

• Family & Friends Railcard: 1/3 OFF Rail Travel
• Train Tickets: No Booking Fees or Credit and Debit Card Charges
• Family Rail Ticket Offers from Train Companies
• Days Out Guide: 2for1 Deals on Family Attractions

Family & Friends Railcard: 1/3 OFF Rail Travel

With 1/3 OFF adult and 60% OFF child train fares and an average annual saving of £131*, there’s no better way to get cheaper family train tickets in Britain.

Family & Friends Railcard: 10 reasons to get one today

Family & Friends Railcard holders enjoy these 10 amazing benefits and a lot more.

1. 1/3 OFF adult and 60% OFF child fares
2. Up to four adults and four children aged between 5 and 15 can travel together
3. Unlimited potential to save money with no restrictions on how many trips you take
4. Two named adults on the card, so when one cardholder isn’t using it the other can
5. Discounted Standard class train tickets including Anytime, Off-Peak, Super Off-Peak and Advance tickets
6. Any group of named adults and children can travel. For example, grandparents or friends can buy a Railcard and children’s friends can go too
7. Save money on the card itself with 1-year and 3-year Family & Friends Railcard discounts
8. Caledonian Sleeper discounts 1/3 OFF adult and 81% OFF children
9. Save money on connecting PLUSBUS bus and Wightlink, Red Funnel and Stena Line ferry services
10. Family & Friends Railcard holder partner offers on travel, days out, theatre and restaurants

Still can’t decide? Try our Family & Friends Railcard page for more information.

* Source: Family & Friends Railcard

Train Tickets: No Booking Fees or Credit and Debit Card Charges

Apart from some train company special offers for journeys on their networks; train companies, agents and resellers in Britain sell the same tickets.

Buy direct from Rail Europe or train companies, and you’ll pay no booking fees or credit charges!

Compare booking fees, and credit and debit card charges

East Midlands Trains – and all other train companies – do not charge booking fees or credit and debit card fees. Compare their prices and charges with ticket agents and resellers.

	Booking Fees	Debit Card Fees	Credit Card Fees
Rail Europe	None	None	None
Trainline	£0.25 to £1.50	None	2%
Red Spotted Hanky	£1	None	None
Train Genius	£1	None	2%
My Train Ticket	£1.50	None	2%
Raileasy	£2.50	None	2.5% to 4.5%

Family Rail Ticket Offers from Train Companies

Save money with train company special offers and family discounts for journeys on their networks. And you won’t have any booking fees or credit and debit card charges.

Don’t know who operates which area of the network? Try this rail company network map of Britain.

Days Out Guide: 2FOR1 Deals on Family Attractions

Days Out Guide in association with National Rail has hundreds of 2FOR1 offers on attractions in Britain.

There’s a 2FOR1 offer for everyone, every day when you go by train!

Here are some examples of how much a family of four (two adults and two children) can save on popular attractions:

• London Zoo – £51.75
• London Eye – £49
• Edinburgh Dungeon – £31.90
• Manchester United Museum & Tour – £30
• Cadbury World – £29.50

Follow these steps for huge savings with 2FOR1 offers:

1. Choose an attraction at Days Out Guide
2. Download and print your vouchers
3. Travel by train
4. Present voucher and train tickets at your attraction

Make sure you check whether your train ticket is valid for 2FOR1 offers.

Save money days out by train this summer 2022 with cheap family train tickets!

Image credits: Nathan Rupert